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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



LADDER TO LEARNING 



LITTLE CLIMBERS. 



SHOWING HOW PLAY AND STUDY MAY BE 
COMBINED. 



ANNA M. HYDE. 



. 






. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
JAMES OH ALLEN & SON. 

18G0. 



5* 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S59, l>y 

ANNA M. HYDE, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States in 
and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Though it has been wisely declared that "of the 
making of books there is no end," yet it may still be 
found that there is room for one, with some novel and 
attractive features, prepared exclusively on the learn- 
ing-made-easy plan, and intended to facilitate the 
child's progress in those branches where the memory 
is especially taxed. It must not be made an objection 
to this effort, that " a little learning is a dangerous 
thing," because all acquisitions of knowledge are 
necessarily small at the beginning. There is more 
poetry than truth in the line; for learning of the 
right kind, little though it be, if well fixed in the 
memory, will be found not only convenient, but per- 
manently useful. Not that the outlines of study 
herein contained should be considered enough, but 
that they may serve to interest the learner in what 
is before him, as well as to sharpen his appetite for 
more. As a child is taught the multiplication table. 



never afterwards forgetting it, so he may be taught 
History or Geography, provided it be presented in a 
condensed and attractive form. Memory is the bottom 
round in the ladder of learning. Secure a foothold 
there, and the ascent is comparatively easy. In after 
life, when cares of active business have crowded from 
his mind the more elaborate studies of the school and 
college, the simple lessons of early childhood will be 
found to have outlived them all. Such lessons it is 
the object of this little book to teach. Some attractive 
pieces, original and selected, suitable for children, 
have been added at the conclusion. 

A. M. II. 



CONTENTS. 

PART I. 
OUTLINES OF STUDY, IN PROSE AND VERSE. 

Page. 

Knowledge and its Uses 11 

History of America 13 

Geography of the United States 23 

History of England 33 

The Succession of English Sovereigns 30 

A Child's History of England, from the Norman 

Conquest 37 

Chart of Scripture History 45 

The Books of the Bible 49 

Arithmetic 54 

Numbers 57 

Grammar 59 

Mrs. Grammar's Ball CO 

Astronomy 63 

The Solar System 08 

The Moon 70 

Months of the Year 75 

The Seasons 77 



c-> 



PART II. 

MISCELLANEOUS PIECES— ORIGINAL AND 
SELECTED. 

Page 

Why Children Come to School.. 

The T u ~ * Kingdoms of Nature 8" 

Questions and Answers 8G 

Time 87 

The Seasons 8§ 

The First Fruits are the Lord's 91 

The Seed and the Prayer.. 93 

Nearer 95 

Consequences of Disobedience 9G 

The Bird's Nest 97 

The Way 98 

The Mechanical Powers 100 

Deeds of Kindness 101 

The Golden Rule 102 

Little Things 103 

The Cow 104 

The Choice 10S 

The Meaning of the Word Creator 107 

Love to the Saviour 108 

Little Samuel 109 

Waste Not— Want Not 112 

Never Forget to Pray 113 

Names of the Books of the Old Testament 114 

The Commandments 115 



Pago. 

Thoughts before Retiring to Rest 110 

Sum of the Commandments 110 

The Ten Commandments 117 

St. Matt. V., 34— 37 117 

Child's Talent 118 

Get up Early 119 

A Penny 120 

The Vowels .' ............ 121 

The Stars *. 122 

The Atheist and the Acorn 123 

The Holy Bible 124 

Don't Kill the Birds 125 

The Busy Bee 120 

A Good Name 127 

The Shadow of the Cross 128 

The Two Great Commandments 131 

The Little Child's Pattern 132 

Questions 133 

Impromptu 134 

The Lord's Prayer 135 

A Little Child's Evening Prayer 130 

A Little Child's Morning Prayer /. 137 

Prayer for a Little Child 137 



PART FIRST. 



OUTLINES OF STUDY, 

IN PROSE AND VERSE. 



KNOWLEDGE AND ITS USES. 



Geography describes the earth — 

Its surface, land or sea; 
Tells where its countries may be fount 

Or lakes and towns may be. 

History tells of times gone by, 
What kings have lived and died ; 

Recording all that has been done, 
By nations great and wide. 

Arithmetic shows how to write 

The figures on a slate, 
And add, or calculate with ease, 

All numbers, small or great. 

Grammar will teach us how to speak 
Our language plain and well ; 

And how to read and write the same, 
Its rules will also tell. 



12 



Astronomy tells us of the stars 

And planets in the sky ; 
And will be found by those who learn, 

A study grand and high. 

Botany speaks to us of plants, 

Describing how they grow ; 
And classifies each tiny flower 

That in the fields may blow. 

Philosophy explains the laws 
Of Nature's wondrous plan; 

And points us to the great First Cause, 
Who made the earth, and man. 

And onward as we travel, 
In learning's pleasant way, 

We see what endless treasures 
Around our footsteps lay. 

Child, if earthly knowledge charm thee, 
And thou heed its winning call, 

Seek, besides, that higher knowledge 
Of the God who made us all ! 



HISTORY OF AMERICA. 



America was discovered in the year 1492, 
by Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, 
in Italy. He was a poor man, and was the 
son of a wool-comber ; but being very fond of 
navigation and astronomy, and having made 
many successful voyages, he was seized with a 
great desire to discover a westerly passage to 
India, hoping also to find some new countries 
in the way. 

But he was a poor man, and for want of the 
necessary means to fit out such an undertaking, 
he was obliged to wait some years. Many ridi- 
culed his plans, and some thought him crazy ; 
but at length Queen Isabella, becoming inter- 
ested in the scheme, sold some of her own 
jewels, and with the proceeds procured three 
small ships, named the Santa Maria, the Pinta, 
and the Nina, with ninety men, and provisions 
sufficient to last them a whole year. 

Thus equipped, Columbus set sail upon the 
2* 



14 



broad ocean, and proceeded west for many 
weeks, until the men that were with him be- 
came discouraged, and begged him to return. 
He at first spoke kindly to them, and per- 
suaded them to continue ; but when he found 
they were really determined to turn back, he 
threatened them with severe punishment un- 
less they yielded to his wishes. Finally, when 
he had almost given up the hope of finding 
what he so much desired, he made a promise 
that if land was not discovered in three days, 
they should at once return. 

On the third night, as Columbus paced the 
deck of the Santa Maria in sadness and de- 
spair, there came a cry of "Land! Land!" 
The people in the Pinta had just seen a light 
at a distance, and when morning came, they 
discovered a beautiful island, covered with 
green trees and shrubs, and inhabited by a 
copper-colored people, whom Columbus named 
Indians, because he supposed they had sailed 
around the world to India. 

This island was one of the West Indies, and 
was called by him San Salvador. 

Five years afterwards, the continent of 



15 



North America was discovered by Sebastian 
Cabot, a native of Venice ; and the same year, 
Americus Vespucius, a Florentine, discovered 
South America. 

The reports of the richness of the country, 
and the abundance of gold and silver, brought 
many Europeans to settle ; and the first colony 
was established in Mexico. 

The first settlement in what are now the 
United States, was made in Florida, by the 
Spaniards, in 1524 ; and in 1821 it was bought 
by the United States from Spain, for five 
millions of dollars. 

Virginia was settled in 1607, by English 
people, who came with Captain John Smith, 
and sailed up James River to Jamestown. 
The river and town were both named in honor 
of the king of England, James I. 

New York was settled in 1614, by the Dutch, 
and was made an English Colony in 1664. 

Massachusetts was settled in 1620, by the 
Puritans, a religious sect in England, who 
came to America on account of their religious 
scruples. 

New Hampshire was settled in 1623, by 
emigrants from Massachusetts. 



16 

New Jersey was settled 1624, by the Swedes 
and Dutch. The English obtained possession 
during the reign of Charles II. 

Delaware was settled in 1627, by the Swedes. 
It was given up to the English government in 
1664. 

Maryland was settled in 1634, by Lord Bal- 
timore and other Roman Catholics of England, 
who left Virginia on account of religious per- 
secution. 

Connecticut was settled in 1635, by emi- 
grants from Massachusetts. 

Rhode Island was settled in 1636, by Roger 
Williams, who was banished from Massachu- 
setts because of his religious opinions. 

North Carolina was settled by emigrants 
from Virginia, about 1645. 

South Carolina was settled in 1670, by Eng- 
lish people. In 1685 many French Hugue- 
nots, banished from France in the reign of 
Louis XIV., took up their abode in the colony. 

Pennsylvania was settled in 1682, by Wil- 
liam Penn, who obtained the land from the 
king of England, in payment of a debt owed 
to his father. He afterwards purchased it 
from the Indians who lived upon the spot. 



17 



Georgia was settled in 1733, by the Eng- 
lish, and was named after the reigning king, 
George II. 

These were the thirteen original States, but 
for many years they were called English colo- 
nies, and were governed by England. But in 
1776 they declared themselves independent; 
and after a long and trying war, their indepen- 
dence was acknowledged, and they became a 
separate government. This was called the 
American Revolution. 

A republican form of government was then 
chosen ; that is, one in which the people them- 
selves choose the officers to rule over them. 
A constitution and code of laws were framed, 
and the two houses of Congress established. 

The Senate, or upper house, represents the 
States, each State sending two Senators to 
Congress; the House of Representatives, or 
lower house, represents the people, as about 
every ninety-four thousand people can send 
one Representative. 

There are at present thirty-three States, 
including Oregon, which has just been ad- 
mitted by the Congress of 1858-9. 



18 



After the original thirteen, others were 
settled in the following order : — 

Vermont, admitted into the Union in 
1791.* 

Kentucky, settled in 1775, admitted in 
1792,* 

Tennessee, settled in 1765, admitted in 
1796.* 

Ohio, settled in 1788, admitted in 1802.* 

Louisiana, settled by the French in 1699, 
ceded by France to the United States for 
fifteen millions of dollars in 1803, admitted 
into the Union in 1816. 

Indiana, settled by the French in 1730, 
surrendered to the English in 1763, admitted 
1816. 

Mississippi, settled by the French, who 
ceded it to England in 1763, admitted in 
1817. 

Illinois, settled by the French, became sub- 
ject to England in 1762, admitted into the 
Union 1818. 

Alabama, admitted into the Union in 1819. 

Maine, settled in 1628, admitted 1820. 
* Settled by colonists from other States. 



19 

Missouri, settled by the French in 1763, 
admitted in 1821. 

Michigan, settled by the French in 1670, 
admitted in 1836. 

Arkansas, settled by Spanish and French, 
admitted in 1836. 

Florida, Iowa and Texas, were admitted in 
1845. 

California was admitted into the Union in 
1850. 



The chief magistrate of this great Republic 
is called the President, and is elected every 
four years. Another officer, styled the Vice- 
President, is elected at the same time, who is 
entrusted with important duties ; in case of 
the death of the President during his term of 
office, the Vice-President takes his place, and 
becomes President of the United States for the 
remainder of the term. 

The first President was General George 
Washington, commander-in-chief of the Ame- 
rican army during the war of independence. 
He was a native of Virginia, and was inaugu- 



20 



rated in 1789. He served eight years, being 
re-elected. 

2d. John Adams, a native of Massachusetts, 
was inaugurated in 1797. Served four years. 

3d. Thomas Jefferson, a native of Virginia, 
was inaugurated in 1801. Served eight years. 
■ 4th. James Madison, a native of Virginia, 
was inaugurated in 1809. Served eight years. 

5th. James Monroe, a native of Virginia, 
was inaugurated in 1817. Served eight years. 

6th. John Quincy Adams, a native of Massa- 
chusetts, was inaugurated in 1825. Served 
four years. 

7th. Andrew Jackson, a native of South 
Carolina, was inaugurated in 1829. Served 
eight years. 

8th. Martin Van Buren, a native of New 
York, was inaugurated in 1837. Served four 
years. 

9th. William H. Harrison, a native of Ohio, 
was inaugurated in 1841. Died one month 
afterward. 

10th. John Tyler, a native of Virginia, was 
inaugurated in 1841. Served three years and 
eleven months. 



21 

11th. James K. Polk, of Tennessee, was 
inaugurated in 1845. Served four years. 

12th. Zachary Taylor, a native of Louisiana, 
was inaugurated in 1849. Died one year and 
four months afterward. 

13th. Millard Fillmore, a native of New 
York, was inaugurated in 1850. Served two 
years and eight months. 

14th. Franklin Pierce, a native of New 
Hampshire, was inaugurated in 1853. Served 
four years. 

15th. James Buchanan, a native of Penn- 
sylvania, was inaugurated in 1857. Term will 
expire in 1861. 



By the blessing of Divine Providence, our 
country has gone on increasing in wealth and 
prosperity, until it is now one of the most 
powerful nations in the world. One hundred 
years ago there were only one million inhabi- 
tants in our entire territory; now there are 
nearly thirty millions. We have public schools, 
in which the children of the poor may be edu- 
cated without cost ; while liberty of con- 
3 



22 



science, and the freedom of the press are 
granted to all. May we not fitly conclude by 
quoting here the Psalmist's words : 

Happy is that people that is in such a case ; 
yea, happy is that people whose God is the 
Lord. Ps. xliv. 



A GEOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED 
STATES. 



Thirty-three States we now can boast 

In this confederation ; 
And now, among the powers that be, 

We are a mighty nation ; 
Our lands, outstretching far and wide, 

Are bounded by the oceans ; 
And commerce takes to all the world, 

Our well known " Yankee Notions." 

Upon our northern boundary 

Are seen the mighty lakes ; 
And through our midst, its rushing course 

The Mississippi takes ; — 
Connecting Minnesota 

With the Gulf of Mexico— 
The climes of endless summer 

With those of ice and snow. 



24 



Hence, all the varied products 

Of many a foreign land, 
Within our own wide borders, 

Are ever at command. 
The cotton and the sugar-cane ; 

The orange-tree and rice ; 
And from the north come costly furs, 

To keep us warm and nice. 

Then from the hills, and by the streams, 

Is dug and washed the gold ; 
While iron, copper, lead abound, 

In quantities untold. 
Thus, children, we may well be proud 

Of this our favored land ; 
And serve her, too, with all the zeal 

A patriot can command ; 
Remembering how our fathers bought 

Its freedom with their blood, 
We'll prove ourselves the worthy sons 

Of sires so great and good. 



The six north-eastern States, we call 
New England—' 4 Yankee Land !" 



25 

They boast of finer colleges 
Than others can command. 

Maine, on the eastern boundary, 
Some seaboard trade can show ; 

Augusta is the capitol ; 

From Portland ships can go. 

New Hampshire next, with mountains White, 

Of towns it has no lack ; 
Concord is the capitol, 

On the river Merrimac. 

Then comes Vermont, shaped long and slim, 
Named from its mountains Green ; 

Montpelier is the capitol, 
On the Onion river seen. 

Massachusetts was the Indian name 

Of tribes that held the land. 
Boston is the capitol ; 

Harvard College close at hand. 

Connecticut lies just beneath ; 

Yale College is its pride. 
New Haven is its capitol, 

And Hartford's town beside. 
3* 



26 



Rhode Island has two capitols, 
Though smallest of the States ; 

At Providence and Neivport 
Its Legislature meets. 



The Middle States are counted next, 

Their number is but four. 
They hold the most important place 

Upon the eastern shore. 

The "Empire State," New York we call; 

Niagara Falls are there ; 
New York city 's our metropolis, 

Whence ships sail everywhere. 

New Jersey's railroads and canals 
Have made her rich and fair ; 

Trenton is the capitol, 
On the lovely Delaware. 

Pennsylvania, with its beds of coal, 
We call the " Keystone State ;" 

Its laws are made at Harrisburg ; 
The mineral wealth is great. 



27 

The next is little Delaware, 
So famous for its wheat ; 

Dover is the capitol — 
Of government the seat. 



The ten we call the Southern States, 

For many miles extend ; 
On their east is the Atlantic, 

On their west the Rio Grande. 

Maryland shows tobacco fields ; 

Chief city 's Baltimore ; 
The capitol 's Annapolis, 

Upon the Chesapeake shore. 

The District of Columbia 

Is only ten miles square. 
Congress meets at Washington ; 

The President's house is there. 

Virginia was settled first, 

Named from the virgin Queen ; 
Richmond is the capitol, 
On the James river seen. 



28 

From mines of North Carolina 

Is dug the precious gold ; 
With silver, iron, copper, lead, 

In quantities untold. 

In South Carolina cotton grows 

On many a fine plantation. 
From Charleston ships can bear it thence, 

To every foreign nation. 

G-eorgia has rice and cotton, too, 

And exports pitch and tar. 
The capitol is MUle&geville, 

Where the State buildings are. 

Florida 's a peninsula, 

Projecting out to sea. 
Here all the tropic fruits and flowers 

Flourish abundantly. 

And next comes Alabama, 

On the Gulf of Mexico. 
Montgomery 's the capitol ; 

Mobile some trade can show. 

Mississippi, bounded on the west 
By the stream that bears its name, 



29 

Has Jackson for its capitol, 

And from cotton draws its fame. 

Louisiana raises sugar-cane, 
New Orleans is its pride ; 

The greatest seaport of the south, 
With commerce vast and wide. 

Texas is far the largest State, 
With climate mild and warm ; 

The rich luxuriant pasturage 
Is its peculiar charm. 



Twelve Western States, that year by year 
Increase in wealth and strength ; 

With many a railroad and canal 

Throughout their breadth and length. 

In labors agricultural, 

Arkansas doth excel ; 
With Little Book, the capitol, 

And other towns as well. 

Kentucky has the Mammoth Cave — 
Produces hemp and maize. 



30 



Louisville does a thriving trade, 
Exporting what they raise. 

Tennessee is crossed by mountains, 

With rivers in between ; 
Nashville is the capitol, 

Where a State House fine is seen, 

Ohio, 'mid the Western States, 
Shows greatest enterprise ; 

Cincinnati, a growing city, 

Stands the third in point of size. 

Indiana chiefly draws its wealth 
From cattle, pork and wheat ; 

Indianapolis, the capitol, 
Has public buildings neat. 

Illinois has risen rapidly 
In wealth and population. 

Chicago 's on Lake Michigan, 
At the head of navigation. 

Michigan lies among the lakes ; 

Eich copper mines abound. 
Detroit is still the capitol, 

On the lake St. Clair 'tis found. 



31 

Wisconsin, rich in minerals, 
Has wealthy mines of lead ; 

Madison, the capitol, 

Is a pretty town, 'tis said. 

Iowa gives luxuriant crops, 
Raised on its prairie soil ; 

And many a valued metal 
Repays the miner's toil. 

Missouri's lead and iron ore, 
Have made her rich and great. 

St. Louis is a splendid town, 
The finest in the State. 

California is the " Golden State," 

On the Pacific shore. 
San Francisco is a thriving place, 

Besides a number more. 

Minnesota, far toward the north, 
Still holds its Indian name ; 

Her many scattered tribes subsist 
By selling furs and game. 

Oregon, farthest north and west, 
Has just been made a State ; 



32 

It borders on the ocean. 
With territory great. 



Besides the States that have been named 

We 've territories eight ; 
And each of them in course of time, 

Will, doubtless, form a State. 
There 's Kansas and Nebraska, 

Utah, Ontonagon, 
Arizona and New Mexico, 

Dacota — Washington. 

But various subdivisions 

Will doubtless be, before 
They knock to be admitted, 

At our governmental door. 
Meanwhile, one common freedom, 

Descended from above, 
Scatters to all the blessings 

Of brotherhood and love. 



HISTORY OF ENGLAND. 



The first inhabitants of England were called 
Britons, of whom little is known, except that 
they were a barbarous people, and their re- 
ligion Paganism. 

Their priests were called Druids, and they 
worshipped in groves of oak. About the year 
54 before Christ, Julius Caesar invaded the 
island; but, though he invaded, he did no* 
conquer it, as they became rather the allies of 
Rome than its captive subjects. 

In the reign of Domitian it was finally 
subdued, and became a province of Rome, 
A. D. 78. 

In A. D. 410, the Romans abandoned Briton, 
and the Saxons came from the north of Europe, 
invaded and conquered it; Egbert becoming 
the first king of England in 827. The Danish 
king, Sweyn, overcame England in 1017 ; the 
Saxons were restored 1041, and the country 
finally conquered by the Normans in 1066. 
4 



34 



SAXON KINGS. 

82T. Egbert, Edmund, 

Ethelwolf, Edred, 

Ethelbert, Edwy, 

Ethelbald, Edgar, 

Ethelred, Edward the Martyr, 

Alfred the Great, Ethelred II., 

Edward, Edmund Ironsides. 
Athelstane. 

DANISH KINGS. 

Sweyn, Harold L, 

Canute the Great, Hardicanute. 

SAXON LINE RESTORED. 

Edward the Confessor, Harold II. 

NORMAN KINGS. 

William the Conqueror, Henry I. 

William Rufus, Stephen, Earl of Blois. 

LINE OF PLANTAGENET. 

Henry II., Edward L, 

Richard L, Edward II., 

John, Edward III., 

Henry III., Richard II. 



35 

LINE OF LANCASTER. 

(Badge — a Red Rose.) 

Henry IV., Henry V., 

Henry VI. 

LINE OF YORK. 

(Badge — a White Rose.) 

Edward IV., Edward V., 

Richard III. 

Union of the Houses of York and Lan- 
caster. (Red and White Rose.) 

LINE OF TUDOR. 

Henry VII., Edward VL, 

Henry VIII., Mary. 

Elizabeth. 

Union of the Scotch and English Crowns. 
(Thistle and the Rose.) 

LINE OF STUART. 

James L, Charles I. 



36 

INTERREGNUM. 

The Long Parliament. 



Protectors. 1 ™T ?™ mwe11 ' 

J Hicham Cromwell. 



RESTORATION OF THE STUARTS. 

Charles II. , William and Mary, 

James II., Anne. 



LINE OF BRUNSWICK. 

George L, George IV., 

George II., William IV., 

George III., Victoria. 



THE SUCCESSION OF ENGLISH SOVEREIGNS — 
IN VERSE. 

First William, the Norman, then William, his 

son; 
Henry, Stephen and Henry, then Richard and 

John. 
Next, Henry the Third; Edwards — one — two — 

and three ; 
And again, after Richard, three Henrys we see. 



37 

Two Edwards, then Richard, if rightly I guess ; 
Two Henrys, Sixth Edward, Queen Mary, 

Queen Bess. 
Then Jamie the Scotchman ; then Charles, 

whom they slew; 
Yet received, after Cromwell, another Charles, 

too. 
And next, James the Second ascended the 

throne ; 
Then good William and Mary together came on. 
Till Anne, Georges four, and Fourth William, 

all past, 
God sent us Victoria — may she long be the 

last! 

Anonymous. 



A CHILD S HISTORY OF ENGLAND — FROM THE 
NORMAN CONQUEST. 
A. D. 

1066. 'Twas William the Conqueror, histories 

tell, 

Who appointed the use of the " Curfew 

Bell." 

4* 



38 



A. D. 

1087. William Rufus, his son, while hunting, 
was shot, 
By him the crusades were first set on 
foot. 

1100. Henry First was a scholar, and Stephen 

of Blois, 
1135. Held the throne as usurper, the heir to 

annoy. 

1154. Henry Second, Plantagenet's line began, 
And was, for those times, a great, wise 
man. 

1189. Richard First (Coeur de Lion) led forth 
a crusade, 
While at home, bold intruders his king- 
dom invade. 

1199. The Magna Charta was given by John, 
Yet Pope Innocent forced him to yield 
his crown. 

1216. His son, Henry Third, though a weak- 
minded man, 
Concluded the treaties his father began. 



39 



A. D. 

1272. Next Edward the First, " Long-Shanks" 
was named. 
The House of Commons by him was 
framed. 

1307. Second Edward was weak ; in his life- 
time we learn, 
The Scotch beat the British at famed 
Bannockburn. 

1328. Edward Third shone at Cressy, with 
his son, the Black Prince, 
Gave the badge of the "Garter" to 
knights ever since. 

1377. Richard Second, succeeding, was killed 
by his foes. 
Then started the wars of the Red and 
White Rose. 

1399. Henry Fourth, Duke of Lancaster, next 
filled the throne, 
Usurping a kingdom, of right not his 
own. 



40 



A. D. 

1413. Henry Fifth, brave and warlike, at 
Agincourt fought, 
And to England's proud banner new 
laurels he brought. 

1422. Henry Sixth was deposed, and then 
slain in the Tower, 
When the wronged house of York came 
at last into power. 

1461. Edward Fourth won his crown by the 
shedding of blood, 
And his life seems devoid of one trait 
that is good. 

1483. Edward Fifth, a mere child, in the Tower 
was destroyed, 
By ruffians his uncle and guardian em- 
ployed. 

1483. Third Richard, the murderer, was hated 
by all ; 
At the battle of Bosworth he met with 
his fall. 



41 



A. D. 

1485. Henry Seventh, line of Tudor, was 
peaceful and kind, 
In his reign, great Columbus a new 
world did find. 

1509. Henry Eighth, though so vile, Refor- 
mation begun, 
And published the Word in the plain 
English tongue. 

1547. Edward Sixth, dying young, walked in 
wisdom's bright way ; 
Left his throne to his cousin, poor Lady 

Jane Grey. 
But she was beheaded at once in the 
Tower. 
1553. After which, "Bloody Mary" asserted 
her power ; 
Then England was deluged with Pro- 
testant blood, 
And her bigotry hid every glimmer of 
good. 

1558. Her sister, Elizabeth, was the next queen. 
The Spanish Armada was spoiled in her 
reign. 



42 



A. D. 

1603, James First, son of Mary, the Queen 
of the Scot ; 
In his reign was discovered the " Gun- 
powder Plot." 

1625. Charles First, styled the Martyr, a civil 
war led, 
And closed his career by losing his head. 

1649. Here a long interregnum the factions 
divide, 

And Cromwell is chosen Protector and 
guide. 

For eleven long years, he, and Richard, 
his son, 

Strove to make of the realm a Repub- 
lican one ; 
1660. But at last, having failed, the king's 
power was restored, 

And banished Charles Second made 
sovereign lord. 

In his reign came the Plague into Lon- 
don's great town, 

And afterward fire burned a fifth of 
it down. 



43 



A. D. 

1685. James Second was a bigot, to weakness 
inclined; 
By flying to France, he his kingdom 
resigned. 

1689. Next William of Orange, with Mary, 
the queen, 
Filled the throne that her father had 
left in chagrin. 

1702. Queen Anne, Mary's sister, stands next 
in the line, 
Called the " Good," from her character 
truly benign. 

1714. George First, (line of Brunswick,) of 
memory dear, 
Died, lamented by all, in his sixty-ninth 
year. 

1727. George Second was brave ; governed 
wisely and well; 
Closed his war by the treaty of Aix-la- 
Chapelle. 



44 



1760. The reign of George Third stands on 

history's page 
As the longest, most prosperous, and 

best of the age. 
We Yankees won bravely our liberties 

true, 
While Bonaparte lost the renowned 

Waterloo. 

1820. George Fourth was unworthy so honest 
a sire ; 
In his character little is found to admire. 

1830. William Fourth, Duke of Clarence, was 
mild and serene; 
Died well stricken in years — more than 
three score and ten. 

1837. Victoria, beloved, who now governs the 

realm, 
Has proved herself worthy to stand at 

its helm. 
Long, long may she live, and her virtues 

increase, 
While her wisdom and prudence bring 

blessings and peace. 



CHART OF SCRIPTURE HISTORY. 



NAMES OF THE PATRIARCHS. 


Adam, 


Lamech, 


Reu, 


Seth, 


Noah, 


Serug, 


Enos, 


Shem, 


Nahor, 


Cainan, 


Arphaxad, 


Terah, 


Mahalaleel, 


Salah, 


Abraham. 


Jared, 


Heber, 


Isaac, 


Methuselah, 


Feleg, 

SONS OF JACOB. 


Jacob. 


Reuben, 


Gad, 


Joseph, 


Simeon, 


Asher, 


Benjamin, 


Levi, 


Issachar, 


Dan, 


Judah, 


Zebulon, 


Naphtali. 


JUDGES OF ISRAEL. 




Moses, 




Jair, 


Joshua, 




Jephtha, 


Othniel, 




Ibzan, 


Deborah and Barak, 


Elon, 


Gideon, 




Abdon, 


Abimelech, 




Samson, 


Tolah, 


Samuel. 


Eli, 


5 







46 



KINGS OF ALL ISRAEL. 



Saul, 



David, 



Solomon. 



Kings of Judah. 

Rehoboam, 

Abijah, 

Asa, 

Jehoshaphat, 

Jehoram, 

Ahaziah, 

Athaliah, 

Joash, 

Amaziah, 

Uzziah, or Azariah, 

Jotham, 

Ahaz, 

Hezekiah, 

Manasseh, 

Amon, 

Josiah, 

Jehoiachim, 

Jehoiachin, 

Zedekiah. 



Kings of Israel. 

Jeroboam, 

Nadad, 

Baasha, 

Elah, 

Zimri, Omri, Tibni, 

Omri (reigned alone,) 

Ahab, 

Ahaziah, 

Jehoram, 

Jehu, 

Jehoahaz, 

Jehoash, 

Jeroboam II., 

Zechariah, 

Shallum, 

Menahem, 

Pekahiah, 

Pekah, 

Hoshea. 



47 



KINGS OF ASSYRIA. 



(Mentioned in the Scripture.) 


So, 


Tihakah, 


Tiglath-pileser, 


Arphaxad, 


Baladan, 


Pharaoh-Necho, 


Shalmaneser, 


Nebuchadnezzar, 


Merodach Baladan, 


Pharaoh-Hophrah 


Sennacherib, 


Darius the Mede, 


Esarhaddon, 


Belshazzar, 


Sargon, 


Cyrus, 


Sardanapdlus, 


Ahasuerus. 


NAMES OF THE PROPHETS. 


Ezra, 


Obadiah, 


Nehemiah, 


Jonah, 


Isaiah, 


Micah, 


Jeremiah, 


Nahum, 


Ezekiel, 


Habakkuk, 


Daniel, 


Zephaniah, 


Hosea, 


Haggai, 


Joel, 


Zechariah, 


Amos, 


Malachi. 



48 



THE TWELVE APOSTLES. 



Simon Peter, 

Andrew, 

James and John, the 

sons of Zebedee, 
Philip, 

Bartholomew, 
Thomas, 
Matthew, 



James, the son of 

Alpheus, 
Lebbeus, surnamed 

Thaddeus, 
Simon, the Canaanite 
Judas Iscariot, 
Matthias, chosen in 

place of Judas. 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 



OLD TESTAMENT. 

In Genesis, the world was made by God's 

creative hand ; 
In Uxodus, the Hebrews marched to gain the 

promised land. 
Leviticus contains the Law — the holy, just, 

and good ; 
Numbers records the tribes enrolled — all sons 

of Abraham's blood. 
Moses, in Deuteronomy, records God's mighty 

deeds. 
Brave Joshua, into Canaan's land, the host of 

Israel leads. 
In Judges, their rebellion oft provokes the 

Lord to smite ; 
But Ruth records the faith of one, well pleas- 
ing in His sight. 
In First and Second Samuel, of Jesse's son 

we read ; 

5* 



Ten tribes in First and Second Kings revolted 

from his seed. 
The First and Second Chronicles, see Judah 

captive made ; 
But Fzra leads a remnant back, by princely 

Cyrus' aid. 
The city walls of Zion, Nehemiah builds 

again ; 
Whilst Esther saved her people from plots of 

•wicked men. 
In Job we read how faith will live beneath 

affliction's rod ; 
And David's Psalms are precious songs to 

every child of God. 
The Proverbs, like a goodly string of choicest 

pearls appear; 
Ecclesiastes teaches man how vain are all 

things here. 
The mystic Song of Solomon exalts sweet 

Sharon's Rose ; 
Whilst Christ, the Saviour and the King, the 

" rapt Isaiair shows. 
The warning Jeremiah, apostate Israel scorns ; 
His plaintive Lamentations, their awful down- 
fall mourns. 



51 

Ezekiel tells, in wondrous words, of dazzling 
mysteries ; 

Whilst kings and empires yet to come, Daniel 
in vision sees. 

Of judgment and of mercy, Ilosea loves to tell ; 

Joel describes the blessed days when God with 
man shall dwell. 

Among Tekoa's herdsmen, Amos received his 
call ; 

Whilst Obadiah prophesies of Edom's final 
fall. 

Jonah enshrines a wondrous type of Christ, 
our risen Lord. 

Micali pronounces Judah lost — lost, but again 
restored. 

Nahum declares on Nineveh just judgment 
shall be poured. 

A view of Chaldea's coming doom, HabakkuTc s 
visions give ; 

Next Zephaniah warns the Jews to turn, re- 
pent and live. 

Haggai wrote to those who saw the temple 
built again ; 

And Zecliariali prophesied of Christ's triumph- 
ant reign. 



52 



Malachi was the last who touched the high 

prophetic chord ; 
Its final notes sublimely show the coming of 

the Lord. 



NEW TESTAMENT. 

Matthew and 3Iark, and Luke and John, the 

Holy Gospel wrote ; 
Describing how the Saviour lived — His death — 

and all He taught. 
Acts prove how God the Apostles owned with 

signs in every place ; 
St. Paul, in Romans, teaches us how man is 

saved by grace. 
The Apostle, in Corinthians, instructs, exhorts, 

reproves : 
G-alatians shows that faith in Christ alone the 

Father loves. 
Ephesians and Philippians tell what Christians 

ought to be ; 
Qolossians bids us live to God, and for eternity. 
In Thessalonians we are taught, the Lord will 

come from heaven ; 



53 

In Timothy and Titus, a Bishop's rule is given. 
Philemon marks a Christian's love, which only 

Christians know ; 
Hebrews reveals the Gospel, prefigured by the 

Law. 
James teaches, without holiness, faith is but 

vain and dead ; 
St. Peter points the narrow way in which the 

Saints are led. 
John, in his three Epistles, on love delights 

to dwell ; 
St. Jude gives awful warning of judgment, 

wrath and hell. 
The Revelation prophesies of that tremendous 

day, 
When Christ, and Christ alone, shall be the 

trembling sinner's stay. 

M. K. 



ARITHMETIC 



Arithmetic teaches us children to count ; 
To understand numbers, and tell their amount ; 
Four rules are the bases that govern the science, 
On knowing these truly, must be our reliance. 

Addition, the first, teaches how to unite 
Two numbers or more, and their value to write. 
First placing them plainly on paper or slate, 
With units, tens, hundreds — in sums small or 

great, 
Then add up the column upon your right hand, 
And set down the amount in the order they 

stand ; 
Not forgetting to carry, if tens there should be, 
Adding with the next column in just the same 

way; 
Until, having counted the lines, one by one, 
Setting down tens and units, your labor is done. 



Subtraction is taking one sum from another ; 
And, if understood rightly, will give you no 

bother. 
Thus : — take one from a dozen will leave you 

eleven ; 
Take three marbles from ten, and 't will leave 

you but seven ; 
While the sum that is left, a remainder we 

call, 
Yet if figures were equal, there 's none left 

at all. 

Next, Multiplication our study invites ; 
But, before on the slate one figure he writes, 
Let the learner fix firm in his memory, if able, 
The thing most important— a key, called "the 

table." 
Thus having assistance forever at hand, 
No matter how great be the multiplicand, 
Or how large is the number you multiply by, 
Take each figure in turn — soon the product 

you '11 spy. 
Then placing the numbers below, side by side, 
You may prove them correct when you 've 

learned to divide. 



56 



By rule fourth, we Divide into fractions, or 
parts, 

Any number of units — pies, candies, or tarts. 

Thus : — dividing six pennies between you and 
me, 

It is plainly perceived that we each will have 
three. 

So, getting the rule clearly fixed in our pates, 

We can cipher large numbers the best on our 
slates ; 

And with a kind teacher our studies to guide, 

We '11 find it grow easy when longer we 've 
tried ; 

Till passing along from one rule to another, 

A great and broad science we soon will dis- 
cover. 



NUMBEllS. 



Roman Numbers. 






I 


stands 


for 


- one 


II 


- 


- 


- two 


III 


- 


- 


- three 


IV 


- 


- 


- four 


V 


- 


- 


- five 


VI 


- 


- 


- six 


VII 


- 


- 


- seven 


VIII 


- 


- 


- eight 


IX 


- 


- 


- nine 


X 


- 


- 


- ten 


XI 


- 


- 


- eleven 


XII 


- 


- 


- twelve 


XIII 


- 


- 


- thirteen 


XIV 


- 


- 


- fourteen 


XV 


- 


- 


- fifteen 


XVI 


- 


- 


- sixteen 


XVII 


- 


- 


- seventeen 


XVIII 


- 


- 


- eighteen 


XIX 


- 


- 


- nineteen 


6 









1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 



58 



Roman Numbers. 








XX 


- 


twenty 


20 


XX and I 


- are 


twenty-one 


21 


XX II 


- 


■ twenty-two 


22 


XX III 


- 


twenty-three 


23 


XX IV 


- 


■ twenty-four 


24 


XX Y 


- 


twenty-five 


25 


XXX I 


- 


■ thirty-one 


31 


X before I 


t (XL) is 


! forty 


40 


L 


. 


■fifty 


50 


after L 


(LX) ■ 


• sixty 


60 


XX L(LXX) ■ 


• seventy 


70 


XXX I 


. (xxx; 


1 eighty 


80 


X before 


C (XCj 


1 ninety 


90 


C 


- 


■ one hundred 


100 


C and I (CI) 


- one hundred &one 


! 101 


CC 


- 


- two hundred 


200 


ccc 


- 


- three hundred - 


300 


cccc 


- 


- four hundred 


400 


D 


- 


- five hundred 


500 


D and C ( 


DC) • 


- six hundred 


600 


M 




- one thousand 


1000 



GRAMMAR. 



Three little words we often see, 
Are Articles — a, an, and the. 

A Noun 's the name of any thing — 
As house or garden, hoop or swing. 

Instead of nouns, the Pronouns stand : 
I, thou, she, it, my house, thy hand. 

Adjectives tell the kind of noun ; 

As great, small, pretty, white or brown 

Conjunctions join the nouns together ; 
As men and children, wind or weather. 

A Preposition stands before 

A noun ; as in, or through a door. 

Verbs tell of something being done ; 
To read, write, cipher, jump or run. 

How things are done, the Adverbs tell ; 
As slowly, quickly, ill or well. 



60 



An Interjection shows surprise ; 

As — ah ! how witty ! — Oh ! how wise ! 

The whole we call nine parts' of speech, 
Which reading, writing, speaking teach. 



MRS. GRAMMAR'S BALL. 

Mrs. Grammar she gave a ball, 
To the nine different parts of our speech ; 

To the big and the small, 

To the short and the tall, 
There were pies, plums, and puddings for each. 

And first little Articles came, 
In a hurry to make themselves known — 

Fat A, an, and the ; 

But none of the three 
Could stand for a minute alone. 

Then Adjectives came to announce 
That their dear friends, the Nouns, were at 
hand — 
Hough, Rougher, and Roughest, 
Tough, Tougher, and Toughest, 
Fat, merry, Grood-natured, and Grand. 



61 



The Nouns were indeed on their way — 
Tens of thousands, and more, I should think : 

For each name that we utter — 

Shop, Shoulder, or Shutter — 
Is a Noun ; Lady, Lion, and Link. 

The Pronouns were following fast 
To push the Nouns out of their places : — 

7, Thou, You, and Me, 

We, They, He, and She, 
With their merry, good-humored old faces ! 

Some cried out, " Make way for the 
Verbs I" 

A great crowd is coming in view- 
To bite and to smite, 
And to light, and to fight, 

To be, and to have, and to do. 

The adverbs attend on the Verbs, 
Behind them as footmen they run ; 

As thus, " To fight badly, 

Then run away gladly," 
Shows how fighting and running were done. 
6* 



62 

Prepositions came — In, By, and Near, 
With Conjunctions, a poor little band, 

As " either you or me, 

But neither them nor he" — 
They held their great friends by the hand. 

Then with a Hip, hip, hurrah ! 
Rushed in Interjections uproarious — 

" dear! Well-a-day /" 

When they saw the display, 
" Ha! ha!" they all shouted out u glorious /" 

But, alas, what misfortunes were nigh ! 
While the fun and the feasting pleased each, 

There pounced in at once 

A monster — a Dunce, 
And confounded the nine parts of speech ! 

Help, friends ! to the rescue ! on you 
For aid Noun and Article call; — 

give your protection 

To poor Interjection, 
Verb, Adverb, Conjunction, and all ! 

Anonymous. 



ASTRONOMY. 



Science means knowledge; and Astronomy 
is the science of the heavenly bodies — that is, 
the Sun, Moon, and Stars. The word Astro- 
nomy is derived from two Greek words, Astron, 
a star, and nomos, a law — and teaches the laws 
of the stars. 

The Solar System is named from the Latin 
word Sol, the Sun, and includes the Sun, and 
all the planets and comets that revolve around 
him. 

The planets are those stars, or worlds, that 
are known to revolve around their centre — 
the Sun — and receive their light and heat 
from him. 

The principal planets are called primary, 
and their moons, or satellites, secondary. 
These last are constantly revolving round 
their primary planets, and with them make 
their revolutions around the Sun. 



64 

The orbit of a planet is its path around the 
Sun. 

The Comets are a strange class of objects, 
about which little is known. Instead of keep- 
ing at a regular distance from the Sun, as the 
planets do, they sometimes approach very near 
him, and then retreat to an immense distance — 
their orbits being very eccentric, or in the 
shape of an egg. They have long, flaming 
trains of light, and move with great rapidity. 
Every child may remember the Comet of 1858, 
which disappeared, after shining brightly for 
a few weeks, and is now many millions of miles 
from us, perhaps visible to the inhabitants of 
the most remote planets. 

The Sun is 1,400,000 times larger than our 
earth, and five hundred times as large as all 
the other planets put together. 

*The planet Mercury is thirty-seven mil- 
lions of miles from the Sun, and takes about 
three of our months to go around the Sun. 
Its diameter, or distance through the centre, 
is about three thousand miles. 

* In these distances and dimensions, round numbers 
are given instead of fractions. 



65 



Venus is sixty-nine millions of miles from 
the Sun, and takes about seven of our months 
to go round the Sun. Its diameter is about 
eight thousand miles. 

The Earth is ninety-five millions of miles 
from the Sun, and takes one year to go round 
the Sun. Its diameter is about eight thou- 
sand miles. One moon. 

Mars is one hundred and forty-five millions 
of miles from the Sun, and takes nearly two 
of our years to go round the Sun. Its dia- 
meter is four thousand five hundred miles. 

The ten smallest planets are called Asteroids, 
or little stars. There names are, Flora, Clio, 
Vesta, Iris, Metis, Hebe, Parthenope, Egeria, 
Astraea, Irene, Eunomia, Juno, Ceres, Pallas 
and Hygeia. They are named in the order 
of their distances from the Sun — the most dis- 
tant is the last mentioned ; they vary between 
two hundred and ten, and three hundred mil- 
lions of miles from the Sun; and take about 
four and a half years to go round the Sun. 
Their average diameter is about five hundred 
miles. 

Jupiter is four hundred and ninety-six mil- 



66 



lions of miles from the Sun, and takes about 
twelve years to go round him. Its diameter 
is about eighty-nine thousands of miles. It 
has four moons. 

Saturn is nine hundred millions of miles 
from the Sun, and takes about thirty years to 
go round him. Its diameter is about seventy- 
nine thousands of miles. It has eight moons, 
and two bright rings round it. 

Herschel, or Uranus, is eighteen hundred 
millions of miles from the Sun, and takes 
eighty-four of our years to go round him. Its 
diameter is thirty-five thousands of miles. It 
has six moons. 

Neptune is twenty-nine hundred millions of 
miles from the Sun, and takes about one hun- 
dred and sixty-five years to go round him. 
Its diameter is thirty-one thousands of miles. 
It is supposed to have several moons, although 
but one has been distinctly seen. 

It is almost impossible for a child to under- 
stand how vast these distances are ; to assist 
his ideas, we will therefore suppose a railroad 
laid from the Sun to the planet Neptune, the 
most distant in the solar system. If a train 



67 



could run at a rate of thirty miles an hour 
without stopping, it would reach Mercury, the 
nearest planet, in one hundred and fifty-two 
years, the Earth in three hundred and sixty- 
one years, Jupiter in nineteen hundred years, 
and Neptune in nearly eleven thousand years. 

Think how far every ray of sunshine must 
travel to lighten and warm those distant 
worlds! Truly is it declared that with God, 
a single day is as a thousand years, and a 
thousand years as one day ! 

There is no study that gives us grander, or 
more sublime ideas of God than that of Astro- 
nomy. David says, " When I consider thy 
heavens, the work of thy fingers ; the moon 
and the stars which thou hast ordained ; what 
is man that thou art mindful of him, and the 
son of man, that thou visitest him." (Ps. viii.) 
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and 
the firmament showeth his handy work." 
(Ps. xix.) 

And yet even this great solar system, im- 
mense as it is to us, is, perhaps, but one among 
many more ; for the fixed stars are supposed 
to be other suns like ours, although their dis- 



68 



tance is so inconceivable as to place them be- 
yond the reach of our observation. 

Think, dear children, of the condescension 
of this great God, who gave His only Son to 
redeem a single one of these countless worlds, 
and who will even hear and answer the prayers 
of sinners who call upon Him ; who has said 
that not even a sparrow can fall to the ground 
without His notice. 



THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 

The stars that twinkle overhead, 

Like diamonds in the sky, 
And shine when we have gone to bed, 

Up in their home so high ; 

Are wondrous planets like our own, 
Revolving round the Sun ; 

Receiving thence their light and heat, 
As all their courses run. 

Mercury, nearest to the Sun, 

We seldom can descry ; 
His lesser ray is lost beside 

The dazzling king of day. 



69 



Venus, our morn or evening star, 
More plainly may be known ; 

Brightest of all the starry hosts, 
In beauty reigns alone. 

Next moves the Earth, with her one moon, 

Among her sister spheres, 
And as the others shine to us, 

To them our star appears. 

Mars, by its hue of rosy red, 

We plainly may discern ; 
And Jupiter, with four large moons, 

We find the fifth in turn. 

Saturn has two bright rings or belts, 

Encircling it around ; 
Eight moons to shine — its wintry night 

Most brilliant must be found. 

Herschel comes next, with his six moons, 
The long, cold night to cheer; 

And Neptune, farther distant yet, 
Must have a wintry year. 

Ten smaller planets yet w T e find, 
Among the larger spheres, 

7 



TO 

But seldom to the naked eye 
An Asteroid appears. 

These all, at various distances, 

Revolve around the Sun, 
Kept in their orbits since the day 

Creation's work was done ; 

By the great God, who hung them there. 

In that unmeasured space ; 
And who in matchless wisdom gave 

To each its time and place. 

And all these myriad shining stars, 

That twinkle up on high, 
Are, doubtless, other suns and worlds, 

Revolving in the sky. 

How vast, how infinite must be 
The God who placed them there ; 

Yet hears each word when children pray, 
And numbers every hair. 



THE MOON. 

As the Moon is, to our evening observation, 
the most conspicuous object in the heavens, 



71 

and is very important in its influences upon 
the Earth, we have thought it quite worthy of 
a short chapter, in order that we might explain 
to our little readers as clearly, but briefly, as 
possible, some of these various influences and 
appearances. 

It is one of the class of planets called secon- 
dary, because it accompanies the Earth, which 
is a primary, or principal planet, and revolves 
around it. 

The Moon may be said to have three mo- 
tions ; first, turning upon its own axis ; secondly, 
revolving round the Earth ; thirdly, its annual 
revolution, in company with the earth, around 
the Sun. 

The Moon's year is 29J of our days — that 
being the time required for one of its revolu- 
tions around the Earth. During that time it 
turns but once on its axis — so that it can have 
but one day and night in its year. 

This period is what we term a lunar month, 
being rather less than a calendar month ; thir- 
teen of these lunar months, or twelve calendar 
ones, make one of our years. 

The light of the Moon does not proceed from 



72 

itself, but is reflected from the Sun, just as a 
mirror will give back the brightness that shines 
upon it from a lamp placed before it ; thus 
when it is night on this side of the Earth, the 
Moon shines upon us with this reflected light, 
although we cannot see the Sun itself, from 
whom the light is borrowed. 

To our eyes the Moon appears to be larger 
than any other planet — but it is really the 
smallest; it seems so, only because it is so 
much nearer than any other. Its distance 
from us is about 240,000 miles, and its di- 
ameter, or measurement through the centre, a 
little more than 2,000 miles. 

If we look at the Moon through a telescope, 
we may see what seem to be its mountains, 
valleys, seas, and rivers ; and Astronomers 
feel pretty sure that these do exist, as the 
surface is very uneven ; and the shadows of 
the mountains can be plainly seen when the 
Sun's light falls upon their sides ; but as the 
distance is very great between our two planets, 
we can never arrive at any very correct know- 
ledge of these things; the most we can do is 
to study its movements and general properties. 



73 



An Eclipse is the darkening of the whole or 
a part of either the Sun or Moon, and may 
hence be termed either a total or a partial 
eclipse. An eclipse of the Sun is called a 
solar eclipse, and that of the Moon a lunar 
eclipse; and as one or more occur almost every 
year, we will often have an opportunity of see- 
ing them for ourselves; if, however, we are 
informed of their cause, we shall find an in- 
creased interest and pleasure in observing 
them. 

An eclipse of the Sun is caused by the 
Moon passing between the Earth and the 
Sun, and casting its shadow upon the Earth. 

Eclipses of the Moon take place whenever 
the Earth comes between the Sun and Moon, 
thus making its own shadow to be seen on the 
bright surface of the Moon. It never happens 
except at full Moon. 

The changes, or phases, of the Moon are 
caused by its revolution around the Earth. 
When it is in such a position that the whole of 
the bright side is towards us, we call it full 
Moon ; but as it passes onward in its path 

7* 



74 

around the Earth, this bright surface is gradu- 
ally turned away from us, and appears less and 
less every evening until it quite disappears ; 
and then, having completed its circuit, it re- 
appears in the west, just after sunset, as new 
Moon. 

Another remarkable phenomenon produced 
by the Moon, is seen in the tides. By these 
we mean the alternate rising and falling of 
the waters of the ocean and rivers, called flow- 
ing or ebbing of the tide ; and it is caused 
entirely by the attraction of the Moon, or of 
the Sun and Moon combined. 

But in this short lesson it would be impos- 
sible to give more than a faint outline of the 
subject ; our chief intention is to interest chil- 
dren in this great science of Astronomy, and 
by explaining a few of the main points, lead 
them to study it more thoroughly from larger 
works. 



75 



MONTHS OF THE YEAR. 



Of these there are twelve. 
The first month is called January and has 

31 days. 



" Second, 


February, 28 " 


" Third, 


March, 31 " 


" Fourth, 


April, 30 " 


" Fifth, 


May, 31 < k 


" Sixth, 


June, 30 " 


" Seventh, 


July, 31 « 


" Eighth, 


August, 31 " 


" Ninth, 


September, 30 " 


" Tenth, 


October, 31 " 


" Eleventh, 


November, 30 " 


" Twelfth, 


December, 31 " 



Thirty days has September, 

April, June and November, 

All the rest have thirty-one, 

Excepting February alone, 

To which we twenty-eight assign, 

Till Leap-Year gives it twenty-nine. 

Leap- Year happens every fourth year, and 
has one day more than other years — three hun- 



76 



dred and sixty-six instead of three hundred and 
sixty-five, which is the usual number of days 
in the year. We may always know which is 
Leap-Year by dividing its figures by 4 ; if this 
can be done without a remainder, it is Leap- 
Year. Thus, the year 1860 will be Leap-Year, 
and its figures, if divided by 4, will leave no 
remainder. 



THE SEASONS. 





♦ 




December 


1 




January 




\- Are called Winter. 


February 


^ 




March 


i 


Are called Spring, because 


April 




► the grass and flowers then 


May 




spring up. 


June 


■> 




July 




> Are called Summer. 


August 




i 


September 


■> 


Are called Autumn, or Fall, 


October 




J> because the leaves then 


November 




fall. 



Spring is the time to sow the grain ; 
In summer, fruits and flowers grow ; 
The harvest, we in autumn gain, 
Before the storms of winter blow. 



PABT SECOND. 
MISCELLANEOUS PIECES, 

ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 



Oli, say not, dream not, heavenly notes, 

To childish ears are vain ; 
That the young mind at random floats, 

And cannot reach the strain. 

Dim, or unheard, the words may fall, 

And yet the heaven-taught mind, 
May learn the sacred air, and all 

The harmony unwind, 

Keble. 



WHY CHILDREN COME TO SCHOOL, 



We little children come to school, 

A part of every day ; 
Because we think it would not do 

To spend it all in play. 

'Tis true we love to be at home, 
With father and with mother ; 

But yet to school we like to come- 
Sisters and little brother. 

We all delight to count in turn, 
And know each figure well ; 

And then we also want to learn 
To read, and write, and spell. 

And whilst upon the map we view 
Each country, far and wide ; 

With oceans, lakes, and rivers, too, 
And many isles beside; 
8 



32 



We learn that Europe is a land 
Renowned in wealth and name, 

From which, so many years ago, 
Our worthy fathers came ; 

That Asia is the ancient clime 
Where Adam lived and died ; 

And where the blessed Saviour, too, 
Was scourged and crucified ; 

That o'er the sands of Africa 

The negro races roam ; 
'Twas cruel white men, years ago, 

That brought them from their home. 

But yet, from Europe's northern clime 

To Africs burning sand, 
No place is like America — 

Our own, our native land. 

Anonymous. 



THE THREE KINGDOMS OF NATURE. 



To form my mother's glossy gown 
The Silkworm spins its thread; 

Whilst to the Beaver, father owes 
The hat upon his head. 

The gentle Lamb must yield its coat, 

To give us clothing fine ; 
And e'en the little Calf must bleed, 

To make these shoes of mine. 

The milk which children ought to love, 

Because it suits them well, 
Provided by a hand above, 

His power and goodness tell. 

The vegetable kingdom, too, 
Doth varied comforts yield ; 

Our handkerchiefs and aprons, once 
Were growing in the field. 



84 

The very bread we daily eat, 

The clothing that we wear ; 
The cattle which supply our meat, 

Are proofs of bounteous care. 

The mineral kingdom gives us coal, 

To burn upon the grate ; 
Our iron, copper, lead, and tin, 

Our coins and silver plate. 

How grateful, then, we all should be, 

For comforts these produce ; 
God saw that we had need of them, 

And gave them for our use. 

Anonymous. 



THE HUMAN FRAME. 

Two hundred and forty-five bones, 'tis said, 

Compose the human frame ; 
Just sixty-one within the head, 

Three more the trunk can claim. 



85 

Sixty, the hands and arms complete, 
And make them fit for work or play ; 

Whilst sixty in the legs and feet, 
Support this tenement of clay. 

Wondrous machine ! with muscles, nerves, 
And flesh and blood made strong ; 

How strange, how marvelous it seems 
That it should last so long. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 



"Flowers, wherefore do ye bloom?" 
"We strew thy pathway to the tomb." 

" Stars, wherefore do ye rise ?" 
" To light thy spirit to the skies." 

" Fair Moon, why dost thou wane ?" 
" That I may wax again." 

" Oh, Sun ! what makes thy beam so bright ?" 
" The Word that said, 'Let there be light.' " 

" Time, whither dost thou flee?" 
"I travel to eternity." 

" Eternity ! what art thou? Say ?" 

"I am — was — will be evermore — to-day." 

"Nature, whence sprang thy glorious frame?" 
"My Maker called me, and I came." 

" Winds, whence and whither do you blow?" 
" 'Thou must be born again' to know." 

" Ocean, what rules thy swell and fall?" 
" The might of Him that ruleth all." 



87 



" Planets, what guides you in your course?" 
"Unseen, unfelt, unfailing force." 

" Oh, Life, what is thy breath ?" 
" A vapor, vanishing in death." 

" Oh, Death, where ends thy strife?" 
" In everlasting life." 

" Oh, Grave, where is thy victory?" 
u Ask Him who rose again for me." 

Montgomery. 



TIME. 

Just sixty seconds in a minute ; 
One hour has sixty minutes in it ; 
And, be your hours dull or bright, 
You 've twenty-four in day and night ; 
And if more knowledge you would seek, 
You 've just seven days in every week. 
Four weeks are in a month, 'tis clear ; 
And full twelve months make up one year. 

God grant that acts of good the year may fill. 
And not one second spent in doing ill. 



THE SEASONS. 



SPRING. 

Four Seasons in the year ; the first is Spring, 
When birds do build their nests, and sweetly 

sing; 
When yellow crocus, and the snow-drop fair, 
Peep from their beds to taste the vernal air. 
If birds chant forth their thanks of praise to 

Heaven, 
Should I not praise, to whom so much is given ? 
Sweet birds, delicious flowers, are all for me ; 
What grateful thanks, Lord ! I owe to Thee ! 

SUMMER. 

The heart is glad, the garden gay ; 
Blithe Summer comes, led in by May. 
The butterfly — that beauteous thing — 
Flutters around on painted wing ; 
The humming bee — that merry wag — 
Flies, sips, and fills his honey-bag. 



89 

The sun his beams with lustre shoots, 
To ripen corn, and plants, and fruits ; 
Fainting beneath his burning raj, 
The juicy fruits our thirst allay. 
God's smallest work a purpose shows ; 
Through all His works His bounty flows. 

AUTUMN. 

Autumn supplies our craving wants ; 
Rich fruits are ripe, and corn, and plants. 
The yellow field of corn is reaped ; 
At harvest-home the barn is heaped. 
I '11 never hoard, to raise the price ; 
Keep me, Lord, from such a vice. 

WINTER. 

Winter, come ! in drifting snow, 
Near the fire I scorn to go. 
Winter, come ! in frost and hail, 
Never shall my courage fail. 
Winter, come ! and blow a storm ; 
My good coat shall keep me warm. 
Winter, come ! in drizzling sleet, 
Dry I keep my head and feet. 



90 



Pleasure ne'er my feet entice, 
Sliding on the treacherous ice. 
Yet, when cruel tempests howl, 
Scaring man, and beast, and fowl ; 
Let me pity, then, the poor, 
Who can find no open door; 
Who have neither clothes nor food ; 
Let me try to do them good. 
Pity is a fleeting shade, 
If we do not give our aid ; 
Something every one can spare : 
I 've enough, and they shall share. 



THE FIRST FRUITS ARE THE LORD'S. 

BY RT. REV. G. W. DOANE. 



Young and happy while thou art, 

Not a furrow on thy brow ; 
Not a sorrow T in thy heart, 

Seek the Lord, thy Saviour — now ! 
In its freshness bring the flower, 

While the dew upon it lies ; 
In the cool and cloudless hour, 

Of the morning sacrifice. 

Life will have its evil years, 

When the skies are overcast ; 
All the present thronged with fears, 

And with vain regrets, the past. 
Let him tremble, who, his heart, 

In an hour like this* would bring, 
Lest Jehovah say, " Depart ! 

; Tis a worn and worthless thing I" 

* An occasion of Confirmation. 



92 



But the first-fruits of the year, 

Have been chosen by the Lord ; 
And the first-fruits of the heart, 

On His altar should be poured. 
Thus the blessing from above, 

On life's harvest shall be given ; 
Sown in tears, perhaps, on earth; 

Reaped with joyfulness in heaven ! 



THE SEED AND THE PRAYER, 



Mamma, I've often heard you say, 
That God is listening when we pray ; 
And, if I do indeed believe, 
That what I ask I shall receive. 

Why will he not, then, take away 
My naughty, sinful heart to-day, 
And make me humble, meek and mild, 
A quiet and obedient child ? 

I ask him every day and night, 
For a new heart that's clean and white ; 
You know I have not got it yet — 
He hears my prayer — can he forget ? 

No, darling, God does not forget, 
Although he has not answered yet ; 
And if you '11 listen, I will try 
And give you now a reason why. 

I once pulled up a garden weed, 
And in its place I dropped a seed ; 
Because they told me God's great power 
Could change that seed into a flower, 



94 



I was a little child, you know, 
And thought the seed would quickly grow ; 
But days and weeks went slowly round, 
And still it lay deep in the ground. 

At length there came some gentle rain, 
And when the sun shone forth again, 
I hastened to the spot alone, 
Wherein my little seed was sown. 

And there I saw the softened ground 
Raised in a gently heaving mound, 
And in the middle there was seen 
Two little leaves of brightest green. 

And day by day, and hour by hour, 
I watched until their came a flower ; 
And thought how good that God must be, 
That gave such pretty flowers to me. 

And now, my dear, your little prayer 
Is like the seed I dropped in there ; 
God gives it in your hand to sow, 
And promises the seed shall grow. 



95 



And if you wait, and watch and pray, 
The seed will spring up day by day, 
And God will bless it like my flower, 
Both with the sunshine and the shower. 

Until at length one morning bright, 
You '11 find a heart both clean and white ; 
And evermore your song will be, 
How very good God is to me. 

Anonymous. 



NEARER. 

One sweetly solemn thought 

Comes to me o'er and o'er ; 
I 'm nearer my home to-day 

Than I 've ever been before ; 
Nearer my Father's house, 

Where the many mansions be ; 
Nearer the great white throne — 

Nearer the jasper sea ; 
Nearer that bound of life 

Where we lay our burdens down ; 
Nearer leaving my cross, 

Nearer wearing my crown. 

Anonymous. 



CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE. 



"Dear mother," said a little fish, 

" Pray is not that a fly ? 
I 'm very hungry, and I wish 

You 'd let me go and try. 

"Sweet innocent," the mother cried, 
And started from her nook, 

" That horrid fly is meant to hide 
The sharpness of the hook." 

Now, as I 've heard, this little trout 
Was young and silly too ; 

And so he thought he 'd venture out, 
To see what he could do. 

And round about the fly he played, 
With many a longing look ; 

And often to himself he said, 
" I 'm sure that 's not a hook. 



97 

" I can but give one little pluck 

To try, and so I will." 
So on he went, and lo, it stuck 

Quite through his little gill. 

And as he faint and fainter grew, 
With hollow voice he cried, 

"Dear mother, if I 'd minded you, 
I should not thus have died." 

Jane Taylor 



THE BIRD'S NEST. 

Behold a bird's nest ! 

Mark it well, within, without ; 

No tool had he that wrought ; no knife to cut, 

No nail to fix, no bodkin to insert, 

No glue to join ; his little beak was all ; 

And yet, how neatly finished ! What nice hand 

With all the implements of art, 

Could make me such another? 

Anonymous. 



THE WAY. 



" Mother, had I the lightning's wing, 

To the throne of God, in Heaven, I'd spring." 

" My child, the lightning's gleaming sheet 
Glances not near His holy seat. 
He dwells in the Heaven of Heavens, afar 
From the rage of the elemental war." 

" But, mother, the thunder roars around, 
I would float to God on its wave of sound." 

" My child, the thunder is loud and deep, 
Startling the babe from its quiet sleep. 
The wild beast cowers to its rocky den, 
And the woodbird seeks her nest again ; 
E'en man, tho' armed with pomp and power, 
Shrinks, trembling in that awful hour. 
But the voice of the thunder around God's 

throne, 
Is low as a lover's whispered tone. 
Some other way thou must seek, my boy, 
To find that region of peace and joy." 



" The rainbow, mother, the rainbow bright, 
I will climb to God on its arch of light." 

" Alas ! my boy, that bow so fair — 

God's holy promise in the air — 

A pledge that hereafter no tears of woe, 

O'er human hearts should overflow ; 

But when storms come, there should light be 

given, 
To gild our woes with a smile from Heaven. 
That bow, like the dreams of thine early years, 
Ere thou couldst reach it, would melt in tears." 

u How, then, mother, can I seek that home, 
To which my wayward fancies roam?" 

" The way, my child, is dark and drear ; 
No rainbow sheds its glories here ; 
Not here is heard the thunder's roar, 
And the lightning's flash is seen no more. 
It is clad in terrors all its own, 
And man must tread that path alone." 

" Alone ! oh, mother, thy gentle arm 
Has shielded me here from every harm ; 



100 



In the world's rough path it has been my stay, 
And in that dark and dreadful way, 
It shall be my hope, my trust, my guide ; 
Oh, mother ! do not leave my side." 

"A better Guide awaits thee, boy, 

To lead to that region of peace and joy ; 

Safely may mortals venture o'er 

The path, which He has trod before. 

Then fear thou not to leave my side — 

Death is the path — but Christ thy guide." 



THE MECHANICAL POWERS. 

Of different powers mechanics have six ; 
Heavy weights to lift up, and great timbers to 

fix; 
So listen awhile to my short explanation 

Of mechanical powers, so just and so true ; 
There's the Lever, the Pully, the Wheel on its 
Axle, 
The Inclined Plane, the Wedge, and the 
Screw. 

Anonymous, 



DEEDS OF KINDNESS. 



Suppose the little cowslip 

Should hang its golden cup, 
And say, "I 'm such a tiny flower, 

I 'd better not grow up. 
How many a weary traveler 

Would miss its fragrant smell ; 
How many a little child would grieve 

To lose it from the dell. 

Suppose the glistening dew-drop 

Upon the grass, should say, 
" What can a little dew-drop do ? 

I 'd better roll away." 
The blade on which it rested, 

Before the day was done, 
Without a drop to moisten it, 

Would wither in the sun. 

Suppose the little breezes 
Upon a summer day, 



102 

Should think themselves too small to cool 

The traveler on his way ; 
Who would not miss the smallest 

And softest ones that blow, 
And think they made a great mistake 

If they were talking so. 

How many deeds of kindness, 

A little child may do, 
Although it has so little strength, 

And little wisdom, too. 
It wants a loving spirit, 

Much more than strength, to prove 
How many things a child may do 

For others, by his love. 



THE GOLDEN RULE. 

To do to others as I would 
That they should do to me, 

Will make me honest, kind, and good, 
As children ought to be. 



LITTLE THINGS. 



Little drops of water, 
Little grains of sand, 

Make the mighty ocean, 
And the beauteous land. 

And the little moments, 
Humble though they be, 

Make the mighty ages 
Of eternity* 

So our little errors, 
Lead the soul away, 

From the path of virtue, 
Oft in sin to stray. 

Little deeds of kindness, 
Little words of love, 

Make our earth an Eden, 
Like the Heaven above. 



THE COW. 



Come, children, listen to me now, 
And you shall hear about the cow. 
We '11 find her useful, live or dead, 
Whether she 's black, or white, or red. 

When milkmaids milk her, morn and night, 
She gives them milk, so fresh and white ; 
And this we little children think, 
Is very nice for us to drink. 

The curdled milk they press and squeeze, 
And thus they make it into cheese ; 
The cream, skimmed off, they shake in churns, 
Which very soon to butter turns. 

And when she 's dead, her flesh is good ; 
For beef is very wholesome food ; 
And though in health it makes us strong, 
To eat too much is very wrong. 



105 

Then lime and bark the tanner takes, 
And of her skin he leather makes ; 
And this, we know, they mostly use, 
To make nice soles for boots and shoes. 

The hair that grows upon her back, 
Is taken, whether white or black, 
And mixed with mortar, short and long, 
To make it very firm and strong. 

Her gall is used for washing clean, 
Cloth that is blue, or black, or green ; 
Her feet they wash, and scrape, and boil, 
From which they skim off neat's foot oil. 

Her hoofs, with care, make glue, so good 
For carpenters to join their wood ; 
Her fat, with cotton used aright, 
Make candles, which we burn at night. 

And last of all, when cut with care, 
Her horns make combs, to comb our hair ; 
And so we learn, thanks to our teachers, 
That cows are very useful creatures. 

Anonymous. 

10 



THE CHOICE. 



" Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." 

Children, and have you never known 

The message from above ? 
" Give me," says Christ, " thy heart, my son. 

Give me thine earliest love." 

True, there 's another seeks your hearts, 

Another asks your love ; 
The nattering world tries all her arts, 

Your infant minds to move. 

"Choose ye;" to-day He calls — to-day; 

Oh ! listen to His voice ; 
And make the Lord, without delay, 

Your early, only choice. 



THE MEANING OF THE WORD 
CREATOR. 



Creator means that mighty power 
Which brought the worlds to light ; 

T^ho made the man, the beast, the flower, 
All perfect in his sight. 

Creator means that word of grace 
Which forms the heart anew ; 

That o'er the martyr Stephen's face 
A smile angelic threw. 

Creator means the Lord of all ! 

Of man, of child, of beast ; 
He made all creatures, great and small — 

Shall man adore Him least ? 

Doth not the little warbling bird 
Sing in soft notes His praise ? 

And cannot little children, too, 
A grateful tribute raise ? 



LOVE TO THE SAVIOUR. 



When Jesus Christ was here below, 
And spread His works of love abroad ; 

If I had lived so long ago, 

I think I should have loved the Lord. 

Jesus, who was so very kind, 

Who came to pardon sinful men ; 

Who healed the sick, and cured the blind — 
Oh must I not have loved Him then. 

But where is Jesus ? Is he dead ? 

Oh no, He lives in Heaven above ; 
And " blest are they," the Saviour said, 

Who, though they have not seen me, love." 

He sees us from his throne on high, 
As well as when on earth He dwelt; 

And when to Him poor children cry, 
He feels such love as then he felt. 

And if the Lord will grant me grace, 
Much will I love Him and adore ; 

But when in Heaven I see His face, 
'Twill be my joy to love Him more. 



LITTLE SAMUEL. 



Hush, my darling, night is falling, 
Children now should be at rest ; 

Place one little arm around me, 
Lay thy cheek against my breast. 

I will tell thee, little Mary, 
Some sweet tale of olden time ; 

And the story for my darling, 
Shall be woven into rhyme. 

Hast thou heard of little Samuel ? 

Like thyself a first-born child ; 
God did form him, like my darling, 

Of a nature good and mild. 

We are told his grateful mother, 
Vowed him early to the Lord ; 

And he grew up in the temple, 

Where was taught God's holy word. 

There he dwelt with aged Eli, 

Whose two sons were wicked men, 

Quite unlike their good old father — 
Ah ! 'tis oft-times now as then. 

*r» 3F **■* *r* *i^ 5$c 3ji 

10* 



110 

But one night, aroused from slumber, 

All was dim and still around ; 
Calling twice his name distinctly, 

Samuel heard a voice resound. 

Up he sprang, and ran to Eli, 
Saying quickly, "Here am I!" 

"Nay, my child, I did not call thee," 
Was the aged priest's reply. 

Samuel slept, as Eli bade him — 
When again that voice was heard ; 

Solemn as a strain of music, 
Sweet as carol of a bird. 

And again the dim old temple, 
Echoed with his light foot-fall, 

As he sought the couch of Eli — 
" Here am I — for thou didst call." 

" Nay, my son, I did not call thee ;" 
Then he turned once more to rest, 

Whence the voice that thus aroused him, 
Pondering within his breast. 

" Samuel ! Samuel !" breathed those accents, 
Seldom ear of man they greet ; 



Ill 

And again was heard the patter 
Of those little naked feet. 

" Here am I," he said to Eli; 

" Here am I — for thou didst call." 
Then did God enlighten Eli, 

And lie saw the Lord through all. 

" Go, lie down, and I will tell thee, 
If he call, what thou shalt say ; 

Speak, Lord ! for thy servant heareth, 
And will thy command obey." 

Then did God tell all to Samuel ; 

Those who did His power defy, 
He who tried not to restrain them, 

Eli and his sons should die ! 

This, my story, little daughter, 

Shall a lesson good impart, 
May the Lord thus early call thee, 

By a voice within thy heart. 

Wait at morning, wait at even, 
Sometime, happily, wilt thou say, 

" Speak, Lord ! for thy servant heareth, 
And will thy command obey." 

Anonymous. 



WASTE NOT— WANT NOT. 



I must not throw upon the floor, 

The crust I cannot eat ; 
There 's many a hungry little one, 

Would think it quite a treat. 

My parents take the kindest care, 

To get me wholesome food ; 
And so I must not waste a bit, 

That may do others good. 

The corn from which my bread is made, 

God causes it to grow ; 
How sad to waste what He has given — 

For He would see and know. 

'Tis wilful waste brings woful want ; 

And I may live to say : 
Oh, how I wish I had the crust 

Which once I threw away. 



NEVER FORGET TO PRAY. 



Never, my child, forget to pray, 
Whate'er the business of the day ; 
If happy dreams have blessed thy sleep ; 
If startling fears have made thee weep ; 
With holy thoughts begin the day, 
And ne'er, my child, forget to pray. 

Pray Him, by whom the birds are fed, 
To give to thee thy daily bread ; 
If wealth his bounty should bestow, 
Praise Him, from whom all blessings flow : 
If he who gave should take away, 
ne'er, my child, forget to pray. 

The time will come when thou wilt miss 

A father's and a mother's kiss; 

And then, my child, perchance you '11 see, 

Some who in prayer ne'er bend the knee ; 

From such examples turn away, 

And ne'er, my child, forget to pray. 

Child's Book of Poetry. 



NAMES AND ORDER OF THE BOOKS 
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 



The great Jehovah speaks to us, 

In Genesis and Exodus ; 

Leviticus and Numbers see, 

Followed by Deuteronomy. 

Joshua and Judges sway the land ; 

Ruth gleans a sheaf with trembling hand ; 

Samuel, and numerous Kings appear, 

"Whose Chronicles we wondering hear ; 

Ezra and Nehemiah now; 

Esther, the beauteous mourner show. 

Job speaks in sighs, David in Psalms, 

The Proverbs teach to scatter alms. 

Ecclesiastes then comes on, 

And the sweet Song of Solomon. 

Isaiah ; Jeremiah, then, 

With Lamentations takes his pen. 

Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea's lyres, 

Swell Joel, Amos, Obadiah's. 



115 

Next Jonah, Micah, Nahum come, 
And lofty Habakkuk finds room. 
While Zephaniah, Haggai calls, 
Rapt Zechariah builds his walls ; 
And Malachi, with garments rent, 
Concludes the ancient Testament. 

Songs for the Little Ones. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 

One God I must worship supreme, 

And ne'er before images bow ; 
I must not speak light of his name, 

But pay to him every vow. 

I 'm bound to remember with care, 
The Sabbath, so hallowed and pure ; 

To honor my parents so dear, 

That my life may the longer endure, 

I never must steal, or consent 

To what is impure, or untrue ; 
I must not indulge discontent, 

Or covet my neighbor his due. 

Hastings' " Nursery Songs." 



CHILD'S TALENT. 



God entrusts to all — 
Talents, few or many ; 

None so young or small, 
That they have not any. 

Though the great and wise 
Have a greater number ; 

Yet my one I prize, 

And it must not slumber. 

God will surely ask, 

Ere I enter heaven ; 
Have I done the task, 

Which to me was given ? 

Little drops of rain, 

Bring the springing flowers; 
And I may attain 

Much, by little powers. 



119 

Every little mite, 

Every little measure, 
Helps to spread the light — 

Helps to swell the treasure. 

Songs for the Little One*. 



GET UP EARLY. 



Get up early ! time is precious ; 

Waste it not in bed. 
Get up early ! while the dew-drops, 

O'er the fields are spread. 
Get up early ! when the red sun 

First begins to rise ; 
Get up early ! when the darkness 

Fades from earth and skies. 

Get up early ! It is sinful 

To be wasting time ; 
Get up early ! while the sweet birds 

Sing their morning chime. 
Get up early ! while the flowers, 

Blush upon the sod ; 
Get up early ! while all nature 

Blesses nature's God. 



A PENNY. 



" A penny I have — 

'Tis all my own !" 
Little Charlotte exclaimed, 

In a lively tone. 
"I cannot do much 

With a penny, I fear ; 
But I '11 buy myself something 

To eat, or to wear." 

" A penny I have," 

Little Mary said; 
And she thoughtfully raised 

Her hand to her head. 
" Both missions and schools 

Want money, I know ; 
But I fear that 'tis little 

A penny can do." 

So Charlotte ran off, 

And some apples she bought ; 
While Mary, her mite 

To the mission-box brought. 



121 

And which of them, think you, 

More cheerfully smiled; 
And which of the two 

Was the happier child ? ; 

M. A. Stoddard. 



THE VOWELS. 



We are little airy creatures, 
All of different form and features. 
One of us in glass is set ; 
One of us you '11 find in jet ; 
Another you may see in tm, 
And the fourth a box within ; 
If the fifth you should pitrs^e, 
It can never fly from you. 



11 



THE STARS. 



See ! the stars are coming 

In the far blue skies ; 
Mother, look ! they brighten — 

Are they angels' eyes? 

No, my child, the lustre 

Of the stars is given, 
Like the hues of flowers, 

By the God of Heaven. 

Mother, if I study, 

Sure, He '11 make me know 
Why the stars He kindled, 

O'er our earth to glow. 

Child, what God created 

Has a glorious aim ; 
Thine it is to worship, 

Thine to love His name. 

Songs for the Little Ones. 



THE ATHEIST AND THE ACORN. 



"Methinka the world is oddly made, 

And everything amiss ;" 
A dull, presuming Atheist said, 
As stretched he lay, beneath a shade, 

And instanced it in this : 

"Behold," quoth he, "that mighty thing, 

A pumpkin, large and round, 
Is held but by a little string, 
Which upwards cannot make it spring, 

Or bear it from the ground. 

While on this oak, an acorn small, 

So disproportionecl grows ; 
That who with sense surveys this all, 
This universal, casual ball, 

Its ill contrivance knows. 

My better judgment would have hung 

The pumpkin on the tree, 
And left the acorn, lightly strung, 
'Mongst things which on the surface sprung, 

And small and feeble be." 



121 

No more the caviller could say, 

Nor farther faults descry, 
For as he upward gazing lay, 
An acorn, loosened from its stay. 

Fell down upon his eye. 

The wounded part with tears ran o'er, 

As punished for the sin : 
Fool ! had that bough a pumpkin bore, 
Thy whimsies would have worked no more, 

Nor skull have kept them in. 

Countess of Winchelsea, 1720. 



THE HOLY BIBLE. 

The Holy Bible, precious, true, 

Has Testaments, called " Old" and "New ;" 

Of books, the Old has thirty-nine ; 

Twenty-seven in the New, we find ; 

Eleven hundred forty-nine, 

Count chapters of the two combined. 

The middle chapter, 'twill be seen, 

Is Psalm one hundred seventeen ; 

The following Psalm, and its verse the eighth, 

Is the middle verse, as counters state. 



DON'T KILL THE BIRDS. 

Don't kill the birds — the little birds, 

That sing about your door, 
Soon as the joyous spring has come, 

And chilling storms are o'er. 

The little birds — how sweet they sing : 

let them joyous live ; 
And do not seek to take their life, 

Which you can never give. 

Don't kill the birds — the pretty birds, 

That play among the trees ; 
'Twould make the earth a cheerless place, 

To see no more of these. 

The little birds — how fond they play : 

Do not disturb their sport, 
But let them warble forth their songs, 

Till winter cuts them short. 

Don't kill the birds — the happy birds, 
That cheer the field and grove ; 

Such harmless things to look upon, 
They claim our warmest love. 



THE BUSY BEE. 



Pretty bee, pray tell me why 
Thus from flower to flower you fly ; 
Culling sweets the livelong day, 
Never leaving off to play. 

Little child, I '11 tell you why, 
Thus from flower to flower I fly ; 
Let the truth thy thoughts engage, 
From thy youth to riper age. 

Summer flowers will soon be o'er ; 
Winter comes — they bloom no more ; 
Fairest days will soon be past ; 
Brightest suns will set at last. 

Little child, now learn of me ; 
Let thy youth thy seed-time be ; 
Then, when wintry age has come, 
Richly bear thy harvest home. 



A GOOD NAME 



A. good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. 

King Solomon. 

Children, choose it, 

Don't refuse it, 
'Tis a priceless diadem ; 

Highly prize it, 

Not despise it, 
You will need it when you 're men. 

Love and cherish, 

Keep and nourish, 
'Tis more precious far than gold ; 

Watch and guard it, 

Don't discard it; 
You will need it when you 're old. 

Then endeavor, 

Now and ever, 
Keep this blessed treasure nigh ; 

Never loan it, 

Always own it, 
Yon will need it when you die. 



THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS. 



Far from the busy haunts of life, 

Among the quiet dead, 
There is a spot to which my steps 

In love are often led. 
Upon the grass-grown little mound 

Full many a blossom springs ; 
They seem a lesson from the ground. 

Of great and holy things. 

How well I mind me of the day, 

We made that little grave ; 
How bitterly we turned away, 

And mourned the fair and brave : 
Brave, tho' no laurels of the great 

Are wreathed about her name : 
Her's were no honors of the state, 

Nor dreams of earthly fame. 

A higher guerdon claimed her zeal, 
A loftier prize she sought ; 

That guerdon — her eternal weal 
The prize — her Saviour bought. 

Oh, say, can earthly joys allure, 
Or earthly chains enthral 



129 

The soul, whose hopes are anchored sure, 
Where Christ is all in all? 

It might be, for a little while, 

Her new-born faith was weak, 
It may be, that her faltering hope, 

Forbade her Heaven to seek ; 
But love, all-powerful to control, 

Descended from above, 
And God himself possessed her soul — 

For God himself is love. 

And ever-more, all earthly things 

Kept fading from her sight, 
The peace religion ever brings, 

Came with its softer light. 
God still was gracious, for His rod 

In love, not wrath, was given ; 
Earth but the path toward purer bliss — 

The stepping-stone to Heaven. 

One parting wish she softly breathed ; 

" When I have passed away, 
To be forever with my God, 

Oh, lay my mould'ring clay 
12 



130 

Within the shadow of the church, 

I, living, loved to tread ; 
And plant new violets in the turf, 

Above ray quiet bed." 

I 've often grieved, because the spot 

They've chosen for her grave, 
Seemed not in keeping with the wish. 

So lovingly she gave. 
But, yesterday I came again, 

The sun w r as shining bright, 
And upward rose the taporing spire, 

To intercept the light. 

Its graceful outline, tall and high, 

I 've seen it o'er and o'er, 
And marked it on the clear, blue sky, 

A thousand times before. 
But now, the symbol of our faith, 

Uprising in the air, 
Was marked in shadow on her grave, 

And lingered calmly there. 

How well, I thought, that she, whose life 

Was spent at Jesus' feet, 
Should sleep, at last, beneath His Cross, 

The true disciple's seat. 



131 

Yet, in her present happy home, 
'Mid perfect bliss above, 

Not e'en the shadow of His Cross, 
Can intercept His love, 

Falling so richly on the soul, 

Whom Israel's God doth keep ; 
When safely folded in His arms, 

She gently sinks to sleep. 
Far brighter than the glare of sin, 

And truer than its gloss, 
Are the pure joys that dwell within 

The Shadow of the Cross, 



THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS. 

This is ihe first and great command — 

To love thy God above ; 
And this the second — as thyself 

Thy neighbor thou shalt love. 

Who is my neighbor ? He who wants 
The help which thou canst give ; 

And both the law and prophets say, 
This do, and thou shalt live. 

Roscoe. 



THE LITTLE CHILD'S PATTERN. 



Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, 
Once became a child like me ; 

Oh, that in my whole behavior, 
He my pattern still may be. 

All my nature is unholy ; 

Pride and passion dwell within; 
But the Lord was meek and lowly, 

And was never known to sin. 

I am often vainly trying 

Some new pleasure to possess ; 

He was always self-denying, 
Patient in His worst distress. 

Lord, assist a feeble creature, 
Guide me by thy word of truth ; 

Condescend to be my teacher, 

Through my childhood and my youth. 



QUESTIONS. 



Who showed the little ant the way 

Her narrow hole to bore ; 
And spend the pleasant summer day 

In laying up her store ? 

The sparrow builds her skillful nest. 
Of wool, and hay, and moss ; 

Who told her how to weave it best, 
And lay the twigs across ? 

Who taught the busy bee to fly 

Among the sweetest flowers, 
And lay his store of honey by, 

To eat in winter hours ? 

? Twas God who showed them all the way, 

And gave their little skill, 
And teaches children, if they pray. 

To do His holy will. 
12* 



IMPROMPTU, 

On seeing children making mud pies by the roadside. 



Oh, happy faces ! rosy cheeks ! 
Besprinkled o'er with muddy streaks ; 
Oh, busy fingers ! dirty nails ! 
While gazing on ye, " Memory's sails, 
Far up the tide of time are turned," 
And take me to where first I learned, 
Like you, to rear, with skill and mirth, 
This pastry of our mother earth. 
Since then, how many a fabric bright, 
Earth-born like these, have seen the light ; 
On these, as then, when storms befell, 
They left me but an empty shell. 
Yes, little workers in the sand, 
So pure of heart, so foul of hand, 
The noblest work man can devise, 
Boast little more than your dirt pies. 
We sow, we reap, we toil, we trust — 
All for a little heap of dust ; 



135 

And when at length life's setting sun 
Scarce finds our little work begun, 
'Twere well, could we, like you, depart, 
With world-stain on the hands— not heart. 

a. w. a. 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

Oar Father, our Father in Heaven, 
Be hallowed thy glorious name; 

To thee let the kingdom be given, 
Thy will we acknowledge supreme. 

We would by thy bounty be fed, 

By infinite mercy forgiven ; 
Nor into temptation be led, 

Nor into sad evils be driven. 

For thine is the kingdom, Lord, 
The power and glory are thine ; 

Be forever and ever adored, 
On earth as in heaven divine. 

Hastings Nursery Song 



A LITTLE CHILD'S EVENING PRAYER. 



Lord, I have passed another day, 

And come to thank thee for thy care ; 

Forgive my faults in work and play, 
And listen to my evening prayer. 

Thy favor gives me daily bread, 

And friends, who all my wants supply 

And safely now I rest my head, 

Preserved and guarded by Thine eye. 

Look down in pity, and forgive 
Whate'er I've said or done amiss ; 

And help me every day I live, 

To serve Thee better than in this. 

Now, while I speak, be pleased to take 
A helpless child beneath thy care ; 

And condescend, for Jesus' sake, 
To listen to my evening prayer. 



I thank my God, who thro' the night, 
Has kept me till the morning light ; 
Lord, on my knees I humbly pray, 
For grace and mercy thro' the day ; 
Keep me this day from every sin, 
And every wicked thought within ; 
Under thy care my childhood take, 
And hear my prayer for Jesus' sake. 



PRAYER— FOR A LITTLE CHILD. 

Thou who never slumberest, see 
My little couch ; — beside it be ; 
May there thy guardian angels keep 
Their vigils round me whilst I sleep ; 
And then, if midnight dreams be given, 
May they be holy dreams of Heaven. 



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